


The World Spins Madly On

by Tortellini



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Afterlife, Alternate Universe - Afterlife, Alternate Universe - Heaven, Angst, Angst and Feels, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Canonical Character Death, Children, Death, Dogs, Emotional Hurt, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, End of the World, F/M, Families of Choice, Family, Family Bonding, Family Feels, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Gen, Heaven, Heaven & Hell, Heavy Angst, Hurt, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Innocence, Light Angst, M/M, Male Friendship, Male-Female Friendship, Platonic Female/Male Relationships, Platonic Male/Male Relationships, Platonic Relationships, Romance, Wordcount: 500-1.000
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-30
Updated: 2017-05-30
Packaged: 2018-11-06 12:48:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 546
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11036493
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tortellini/pseuds/Tortellini
Summary: (Afterlife AU) At the end of the world, there's nothing left to do but clasp those you're still lucky enough to have with you...and wait to see those who went before you once more. It's sad and sweet.Oneshot





	The World Spins Madly On

After long last, it...it was over. The fighting had been hard, and everyone was gone... Some of them were scared, the soft and the young ones -- Feliciano and Lovino, Raivis, Leon. Their loved ones assured them that everything would be all right now.

The afterlife wasn't what Francis Bonnefoy was expecting, really. His son Matthew stood at his side, hand on his shoulder. Both of them were tired. The blackness surrounded the two of them; and they had no idea where their friends were.

"Francis...?" A soft voice said behind him. He turned in disbelief, heart pounding in his ears. Was...was this real?

Joan of Arc stood there, looking as perfect and pure as the day she had left Francis forever. She smiled and tears brimmed in both of their eyes. And she hugged him; Francis kissed her forehead.

"Now you can see her too, Papa..." Matthew breathed. Joan smiled at him over Francis' shoulder.

Somewhere to the left, Gilbert was standing with his hands in his pockets and his head down. He didn't even notice the man approach him until he spoke.

" _Hallo,_ Gilbert."

Gilbert looked up so fast that he might've hurt himself if he could still feel pain. Ruby eyes widened in recognition, meeting soft grey eyes, lined with age and kind. One word.

"Fritz."

They embraced, Gilbert still careful because of his friend's age, even if he didn't seem frail anymore.

Ivan observed his long-time companions in a peaceful, bitter sort of way. Some had dead humans they could be reunited with; others had fellow countries they stayed close to. Very few had no one, but Ivan was one of those people. And he wasn't surprised.

But when he was tackled suddenly from behind, he really thought someone was attacking him. Even in _the afterlife._

Ivan whirled around, tense and reaching for the pipe he knew deep down wouldn't be there anymore. And that was when he got a good look at his "attackers". At the beloved prince and princess he hadn't seen in something like two hundred years, ever since the first Great War...

"Master Ivan," Princess Anastasia asked very gently, "Do you remember us?" She held her brother's hand -- and Prince Alexei looked healthy now, and happy. Ivan dropped to his knees and, nodding wordlessly, he embraced them.

They hugged him back. It felt nice not to be feared by children for once.

The noise of lots of barking and laughter (and soft swearing) made everyone look up -- Francis and Joan and Matt, Gilbert and Fritz, Alfred and all the many many humans he had loved, and Ivan and the royal children. Among others.

Ludwig Beilschmidt was on the ground, his usually serious face split into a large smile, with Feli Vargas next to him. Both were covered in dogs.

All the dogs Ludwig had ever known.

One came over to Ivan, and he could feel tears threatening to betray him now. Laika: the terrier mutt hat had died in space. Ivan set Prince Alexei on the ground and when the little boy opened his arms, the dog jumped on him, licking his cheeks.

A life-long soldier and a dead child's laughter both echoing in his mind, it was then that Ivan knew they'd all be all right.


End file.
